The invention relates to a hardtop vehicle roof which is movable between a closed position, in which it covers the interior vehicle space, and a storage position, in which the interior vehicle space is open, and which includes a front roof part and a rear roof part, with a kinematic operating mechanism disposed between the front and rear roof parts for controlling relative motion between the roof parts upon opening and closing the roof.
DE 199 30 616 C1 discloses a vehicle roof which is movable between a closed position, in which the vehicle interior is covered, and a storage position, in which the vehicle interior is open, and which includes a front roof part and a rear roof part. The front roof part is coupled by a movement control mechanism to the rear roof part, which is connected to the vehicle body by another movement control mechanism. Upon transfer of the vehicle roof from the closed position to the storage position, the whole vehicle roof is first pivoted backward along a vehicle-mounted guide track, which is part of the movement control mechanism between the rear roof part and the vehicle body while the relative position between the front and the rear roof parts remains unchanged. Subsequently, the front roof part is displaced, by means of a two link joint, out of the common roof plane downwardly with respect to the rear roof part and then moved laterally below the rear roof part. In a final movement phase, the two roof parts, which are now arranged in parallel, are lowered into a storage compartment disposed behind the passenger compartment until the final storage position is reached.
For executing the relative movement between the front and rear roof parts, an actuating member is required which engages the two-link joint and which provides for the pivot movement of the links of the joint as well as the lateral displacement of the roof along the guide track in a coordinated manner. During the displacement of the front roof part out of the common roof plane, a lateral displacement of the two-link joint is first avoided and, during the subsequent lateral movement along the guide track, an undesired pivot movement of the two- link joint is prevented. The coordinated subsequent movements, that is, the pivot movement and the lateral displacement requires the locking of the particular degree of freedom of movement which is not needed for a particular movement.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a hardtop vehicle roof which has a drive mechanism which is simple in design and which includes a precise and reliable transfer mechanism for transferring the vehicle roof between the closed and the storage positions thereof.
In a hard top vehicle roof which is movable between a closed position, in which it covers the interior of a vehicle, and a storage position, in which it is contained in a vehicle storage space, the vehicle roof includes a rear roof part which is pivotally mounted on the vehicle body and a front roof part which is mounted on the rear roof part so as to be movable below and in parallel relationship to the rear roof part for movement therewith into the storage compartment.
With the hardtop vehicle roof according to the invention, the relative kinematic mechanism between the front and the rear roof parts includes two guide tracks which are arranged each on the rear roof part and in which a two-link joint, by way of which the relative movement of the front roof part with respect to the rear roof part is controlled, is guided in each movement phase in a predetermined manner, that is, without any uncontrolled degree of freedom. The second guide track reduces the freedom of movement of the two-link joint by a degree freedom so that the front roof part must follow a single predetermined path of movement relative to the rear roof part. The only available degree of movement of the relative kinematics is controlled by an operating member, by which the operating force for the movement of the front roof part relative to the rear roof part is applied.
The path of movement followed by the front roof part relative to the rear roof part is determined by t he shape of the additional guide track in which one of the two links of the two-link joint is guided. With the additional kinematic guide by way of the second guide track, the operating member can be simple since it is now sufficient to provide a drive member for laterally moving the roof part along the first guide track, which is preferably a straight track. The pivot movement of the front roof part is provided for by the curved path of the second guide track in a predetermined manner.
The second guide track, which is mounted to the rear roof part includes, in its area adjacent the front roof part, a section which is curved upwardly in a longitudinal plane of the vehicle and becomes straight toward its end opposite the front roof part. The straight section extends preferably parallel to the first guide track. During the transfer of the vehicle roof from the closed position to t he storage position, the movement of the front roof part is, at the beginning of the relative motion between the front and rear roof parts, first controlled by the curved track section whereby, within a short travel distance, a large pivot movement of the front roof part is executed which leads, in an advantageous manner, to a lowering of the front roof part out of the common roof plane into a parallel position below the rear roof part. Then the straight section of the guide track is entered so that, after the displacement of the front part into a lower parallel plane, the front part moves laterally below the rear part into a parallel end position below the rear roof part.
Preferably, the actuating kinematics which moves the rear roof part between its closed and its storage position, is in the form of a two-link joint, which is supported by the vehicle body and provides for a pivot movement of the rear roof part between the closed and storage positions thereof. With the use of such a two-link joint for the movement of the rear roof part, no additional guide tracks to be mounted on the vehicle body are needed whereby some space is gained. The two-link joint between the vehicle body and the rear roof part occupies comparatively little space in the closed position as well as in the storage position of the roof. It is noted that, of course, the same operating mechanisms are provided at both sides of the vehicle roof.
An embodiment of the invention will be described below in detail on the basis of the accompanying drawings.